


The Violet Paladin

by notcool



Category: Voltron: Legendary Defender
Genre: Alternate Universe - Time Travel, Angst, M/M, Mild Hurt/Comfort, Mild Language, Mystery, Other, Siblings, Slow Burn, Space Dad Shiro (Voltron), Time Travel, paladins are bros
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2019-06-09
Updated: 2019-07-09
Packaged: 2020-04-23 11:58:40
Rating: Not Rated
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 6
Words: 6,641
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/19150591
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/notcool/pseuds/notcool
Summary: A rescue mission turns the paladins' world upside down with the appearance of Killian, a young man claiming to be from the future - and to be Keith and Lance's son.Even setting aside the whole biology problem with that, there are still questions to be answered, and, according to Killian, a universe to save.





	1. "Wait, what?"

**Author's Note:**

> Here's to another bad idea that I for some flipping reason decided to write out. Enjoy!

“Voltron!” The small creature chirped.

Was it a surprise? Not really, considering. But did that fact stop Lance from screaming like a kindergartner and leaping into Hunk’s arms? Also not really… considering.

“Uh… Lance?” Pidge poked him. “You gonna come down or…?”

“It _talks_!” Lance wailed.

“Voltron!” The creature chirped again, colours rustling excitedly on its back. Were those feathers or fur? It was hard to tell. “Voltron! Voltron!”

Keith knelt to the russet alien soil, tilting his head at the creature. “What _are_ you?”

“Voltron! Voltron! Voltron!” The critter was running in tight circles now, vibrant colours a shimmering vortex of innocent excitement. “ _Vol_ tron!”

Shiro knelt beside Keith, tilting his head at almost the exact same angle the red paladin had.

“I don’t think it’s talking Lance.” He said. “Probably more like a parrot.” He looked up. “Question then is, why is Voltron the word it knows?”

“Voltron Voltron!” The creature had sat down, but even then it couldn’t seem to hold still, its entire body wriggling joyfully. “Voltron Voltron Voltron!”

“Parrot. More like pokemon.” Lance muttered, but he climbed down from Hunk’s arms, albeit cautiously.

Now free, Hunk bent to hold his hand out to the creature. “Hello little one.” He greeted, smiling broadly. “You like Voltron?”

“Voltron!” The critter chirped, and in less than a second had zipped up Hunk’s outstretched arm to sit on his shoulder.

“Oh!” Hunk chuckled, straightening and reaching to scratch the creature under its chin. It purred, a high trilling sound.

“Voltron! Voltron!”

“Yeah, we’re Voltron.” Hunk grinned as the critter nuzzled his ear.

Keith and Shiro stood as well.

“So… what is it?” Pidge asked.

“No clue.” Shiro said. “Allura said this planet was void of intelligent life, right? Voltron hasn’t been here in centuries, and I doubt this creature has a life span that long.”

“Awww…”

The purring mass of colour was rolled belly up on Hunk’s shoulder, trills interspersed with chirps as it pawed at the tie on Hunk’s headband, tail flicking to and fro playfully.

Hunk turned big eyes to Shiro. “Can we keep it Shiro? Please?”

Shiro rolled his eyes, turning away from the group back to the russet alien world around. “We determined the distress signal was coming that valley?” He pointed to the shadowy puddle halfway between them and the horizon.

Pidge checked the rectangular device in her hand. “More or less, yeah.”

“Well, we’ll figure out the creature later.” Shiro started back down the narrow trail towards the valley. “Right now we have a downed ship to assist.”

The paladins fell into step behind him more or less on their own. The fact that an oblivious Hunk was literally being shoved down the path by Pidge will remain unmentioned.

Keith trailed at Shiro’s shoulder, with Lance between them and Hunk and Pidge, internally debating whether he would rather stand closer to moody Keith or the purring not-pokemon.

Keith won, but only because Lance knew the red paladin didn’t have rabies. The pokemon on the other hand, was unaccounted for.

The group wound through the russet wilderness, encountering no life larger than buzzing dragonfly-like beings, all within the colour scheme of the landscape.

“You’re not native to this planet, are you?” Hunk stroked the fluorescent creature nested on his shoulder. “Nah, you’re too colourful. Too bright. How’d you get here, huh?”

“It’s possible it was on the ship we are going to assist.” Pidge tapped at her navigating device. “Maybe a pet or something. Still, we found it pretty far from the ship, and it’s small to have gone so far.”

“I dunno,” Hunk smoothed out the silky strands of the critter’s large ears. “Did you see how fast she moves? She’s like a little rocket booster.”

“She?” Keith grumbled from up ahead. “Next you’ll be naming it.”

“I wouldn’t!” Hunk exclaimed. “It would be rude to try and give her a name if she already has one!”

Keith continued to grumble, only shushing when Shiro halted and the red paladin ran into him.

“The hell.”

The other paladins fanned out around Shiro to see the valley below, where the black lion lay smoking on its side.

“Wha...what?” Pidge stared. “We landed the black lion three kilometers back. How’d it get here? What happened to it? And where’s the ship we’re supposed to rescue?”

“Guys…” Shiro swallowed tensely. “This… this is the ship that sent the distress signal. Look at it.” He raised an arm to gesture to the lion’s head. “That symbol on its cheek. That’s not right. This isn’t our lion.”

“It’s a replica?” Keith queried, frowning. “For what purpose?”

“Voltron!” The shimmering mass on Hunk’s shoulder chirped, sounding distressed.

It leaped off its perch, silky parachutes of drifting wings unfurling from its body before it hit the ground. It was gliding down towards the smoking lion.

“When did it get wings?” Lance cried.

“I don’t know!” Hunk cried back.

“Okay team,” Shiro’s hand shimmered, glove dissipating and replaced with pulsing purple energy. “This isn’t a normal rescue mission. Keep your eyes open - come on.”

He started down into the valley. The others didn’t move.

With a huff Pidge marched past them, chin up as she tugged her bayard from its holster and followed after their leader.

Keith followed suit only a breath after.

Complaining about the various ways they might get killed, Lance and Hunk fell in step behind.

The lion looked no less like their own up close. The only difference was the unfamiliar symbol on its cheek, but even with that the paladins were having trouble convincing themselves that this wasn’t _their_ black lion.

To complicate matters, the lion’s eyes came to life as they approached, their gaze undoubtedly on Shiro as a happy creaking sound emitted from somewhere within.

Shiro had no good response to that. It was even acting like his lion. Was it possible something had attacked after they landed and none of them had heard anything? No, it wasn’t.

And that still wouldn’t explain the symbol. An uneven letter “A” with a sword running down through its center, foreign writing decorating the blade. The image engraved into the lion’s metal with expert craftsmanship.

Pidge grounded herself in front of the group, taking charge when she saw Shiro wasn’t going to. “We are responding to a distress signal sent out from his area. I guess that’s you?”

The lion didn’t seem to notice her. It only saw Shiro - more happy creaking.

Just as Pidge was about to repeat herself, the lion’s mouth started to open. Slowly, shakily, hinges bent out of place, but it opened. Yet more happy creaking.

Even in wreckage, the faux black lion’s interior was undoubtedly like their own.

The paladins stared.

“Voltron!” A familiar chirp radiated out from inside. “Voltron Voltron!”

And… in Hunk went.

Well, they’d better back him up. Setting their jaws, the rest of the team darted after him.

There was a person in the driver’s seat, and Hunk knew that  worn green jacket they wore all too well. “What?”

He’d stopped in the door, and the others bottlenecked behind him.

“What is it Hunk?” Pidge shoved. “I can’t see!”

“Voltron!” The silky creature was perched on the back of the driver’s seat, chirping distressedly as it pawed at the lolling head of raven hair. “Voltron! _Vol_ tron!”

Shiro pushed Hunk aside, only to freeze in the doorway himself. “What?”

“That’s what I said!” Hunk cried.

The head of raven hair moved slightly, a pained groan finding its way out of blood-crusted lips.

“Geez they’re alive!” Shrio bolted to kneel in front of the half-conscious driver, only to freeze again. “...What?”

Terribly familiar violet eyes focused dazedly on him under bruised lids, a smile tugging at the corner of those split lips.

“Hey Shiro.”

No, no this was wrong. Who the hell was this?

Pidge was at Shiro’s shoulder, chewing her lip as she looked the wounded driver up and down. “Well then.” She said.

That was all she said.

No one else moved.

“Voltron!”

The violet eyes trailed down to the shining critter, which was now in their lap. “Yeah, Voltron to you too bitch.”

“ _Vol_ tron! Voltron Voltron!”

“Heard you the first time.”

Shiro found his voice somehow. “Who… who are you?”

The stranger didn’t seem to hear him. Instead the violet eyes bypassed Shiro entirely, finding Keith standing arms folded, Lance hiding behind him and only peaking over his rival’s shoulder.

Another pained smile.

“Hi dad.”

And with that they promptly lost consciousness.


	2. Save the World or Die Alone

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> 27 years in the future...

_ “Why me Vraj? You’re better with people!” _

_ “You know our dads! They’re blithering idiots - they wouldn’t register me saying anything if I talked for a month straight!” _

_ “And I’m gonna have better luck?” _

_ “You look like them, Killian.” Vraj gestured to him as a whole with a wild swing of both arms. “You’ll have better luck if they can see what you’re saying with your eyes!” _

_ “I don’t even know how to operate the black lion!” Killian cried. “How am I supposed to drive him into a freaking time portal?” _

_ “Crilis will help you. You have to believe in yourself!” _

_ “I am the pinnacle of self-deprecation and you know it, so don’t think saying that is gonna help. Also, what is Crilis gonna do? She can’t drive a lion - even if she knew how she can’t reach the pedals!” _

_ “Just get in the damned lion we’re running out of time!” _

_ “Well, when the universe ends, don’t blame me.” _

_ “Voltron Voltron!” Crilis called from the hangar. _

_ “Yeah, I’m coming!” Killian took the black and white bayard Vraj shoved at him, wanting to glare at her, but even he could tell it wasn’t a glare. It was fear. _

_ Fear that he’d never see her again. That they would die anyway only he wouldn’t be able to die beside his big sister. That he would die with alone in space unable to tell her he loved her one last time. _

_ He turned away, hand clenching on the black bayard as he stared down into the black lion’s hangar. “See you on the other side Vraj.” _

_ He could hear Vraj’s shaky breath from here. _

_ “See you.” She said. _


	3. Killian Kogane-McClain

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Killian and Allura have their head on sort of straight. Everyone else is long past helping

“Voltron Voltron!”

Did Crilis ever shut up? Geez Killian’s head hurt. Had he crashed? He thought he remembered crashing.

“Voltron!”

He was horizontal, but Killian knew for a fact the lion’s floor wasn’t this soft.

Wait… he’d seen uncle Shiro. Younger, eyes brighter, right cheek smooth skin instead of the cyber tech that Killian’s Shiro had repaired his jaw with. He’d made it…

“Voltron Voltron!”

He wanted to snap at her to be quiet, that he was thinking that he had a headache, but he didn’t make it past her name before pain stabbed between his eyes.

Someone was pushing him back down. He didn’t remember sitting up, but supposed he must have. Hold on a moment - he knew that face.

He fought to focus on the slicked-back bright orange. The pale blue swishes beneath dark eyes.

“Coran?”

Geez, if Coran was here than he’d gone farther back than the intended twenty years. When was he?

“Voltron!” The glittering star fox was yelling right into his ear now.

“Crilis, please.” Killian pulled his eyes off Coran to cut them sideways, pleading her wearily.

“Voltron?” She said, quieter this time, eyes wide.

“Young man, I’ll need you to look here please.”

Killian dragged his eyes back to the young face of a man he only distantly knew. He’d met Coran on New Altea as a child after hearing many stories of his Altean uncle, but as a five-year-old hadn't interacted much. At age seven, Vraj hadn't gotten much more, but both had listened to tale after tale of the old days.

Of when Keith and Lance were rivals, when Allura and Coran were the only Alteans left, before Pidge and Hunk invented the time portal and brought the planet of Altea forward, saving not only the Alteans but bringing together a force powerful enough to defeat all evil in the universe.

Really no bedtime story compared to the tale of his own family’s feats.

Vraj and he would spend hours in the castle’s kitchen floor, listening in wonder as uncle Hunk recounted events while he stirred a steaming pot.

“Young man!”

Killian blinked. He’d drifted off.

“Young man, can you hear me?”

Killian blinked again. Oh yeah; Coran was talking to him. He should probably be listening.

But his head hurt. He low-key wanted to go back to whatever coma-like state he’d been in before waking.

“Young man!”

“Hmmm?” Killian focused again. Kind of. “Oh. Hi Coran.”

“Well, he knows you too.” Pidge’s unmistakable voice carried in from the side. “But none of us know him.”

“He called Keith dad!” Lance inputted.

“Dumbass, he was calling you dad. You were just hiding behind me!”

“Nu-uh! He was totally looking at you!”

These guys were giving him a headache. Killian slapped at the light Coran was trying to shine in his eyes, pushing himself up to his elbows.

“Young man!” Coran was waving his arms about in distress. “Young man you shouldn’t be getting up just yet!”

“Voltron!” Crilis chirped.

Killian cringed away from the sound. “Geez, I thought we’d agreed for you to shut up already?”

“ _ Vol _ tron!” Crilis whined.

It seemed the paladins hadn't even noticed that he’d moved; Keith and Lance were presently engaged in a shoving match, Hunk and Shiro begging them to stop while Pidge cheered them on. Allura was back in the medbay doorway with a hnd to her face, eyes closed in a motherly combination of frustration and disappointment.

“Hey!” Killian shouted.

The entire room froze, all eyes on him now.

“...Voltron?” Crilis mewed.

Killian cast her a frown and adjusted to sit up better. “As much as I love a good family squabble, could you please quiet it down?”

No one moved.

“Okay,” Killian rubbed his head, finding a bandage wrapped annoyingly around it, trapping his bangs under it. As if his hair wasn’t tangled enough already.

He drew in a frustrated sigh, swinging his legs off the medbay table and sliding gingerly down until his feet touched the floor. Somewhat steady, he looked back to the deathly silent group.

He looked specifically to Keith and Lance, staring at him with wide eyes and fist-fulls of each others’ shirts. Another, deeper, frustrated sigh.

“For the record, when I said dad I was talking to both of you idiots.”

It took a moment for that to register with anyone, but when it finally did, it registered with everyone at once.

Lance was shrieking and windmilling his arms - Keith was shoved back into Shiro and was yelling as the elder struggled to keep his balance at the same time as he called, unheeded, for calm. Pidge was cackling like a madman, Hunk was loudly demanding someone explain to him what was happening, and Coran was fretting around Lance, telling the boy how he was going to dislocate his shoulders if he kept waving about like that.

And then there was Allura; she rounded the fray and approached Killian, a spark in her eyes that he knew all too well; she was thinking. Hard.

“I don’t understand.” She murmured, and Killian barely heard her over the racket. “How is that possible? Only old Altean technology could meld genetics into a separate entity as opposed to a bisourced clone…”

“Winner winner chicken dinner.” Killian deadpanned, offering her a weak smile. All this noise was making his head throb.

“But that’s… the tech and all its designs were destroyed along with Altea…”

Killian grinned. He somehow found the spirit to make finger guns, a move Vraj would always yell at him for. She thought it made him look like an idiot, and she was probably right. His grin vanished, hands falling back to his sides. Vraj.

Killian swallowed, re-establishing his priorities. He had a universe to save. A family to get back to. Blood to clean up. Wait, what?

Another scarlet point dropped past his right eye. That couldn’t be good. Ah, what the hell was he saying? None of this was good.

He wiped at his brow with the back of his hand, unsurprised when his wrist came back scarlet. This might be a setback.

“Young man!” Coran saw the blood and zoomed over, hands waving about seemingly without purpose. “Young man! I told you you shouldn’t be getting up so soon!”

“I’ve got a name, ya know.” Killian grumbled, finding himself having been picked up at the waist and replaced on the medbay table.

“Not one that I know of!” Coran was prodding him to lie down as he dug out fresh bandages with his free hand.

He had to remind himself again that he was completely new to them. He was well used to their crap, but they were unaccustomed to his entirely. Oh, joy.

“Killian.” He said, squinting when Coran poked that light in his eyes again. “Killian Kogane-McClain.”

That sent Pidge, who had only just begun to quiet, into another bout of maniacal laughter.

Keith had resorted to growling into his jacket collar, but Lance continued to shout at no one in particular.

Shiro had given up on the pair, and he and Hunk had joined Allura and Coran around the table. Technically Pidge was there as well, but with her cackling Killian wasn’t going to count her as “paying attention” just yet.

Crilis paced on the table by Killian’s pillow, chirping and trilling questioningly, but at least at an acceptable volume.

“Okay, I need an explanation.” Shiro said, looking at Killian suspiciously. “You’re…” he gestured to the boys behind them, the same boys who once more had fit-fulls of each others’ shirts and were yelling. “ _ Their _ kid?”

“Unlikely right now, huh?” Killian swatted away the light Coran held. Seriously, what did the guy hope to accomplish, blinding him? “I guess I came too far. How old are you?”

It took Hunk a moment to realise the question was directed at him - Crilis had decided the yellow paladin’s shoulder was more comfortable than the metal table, and Hunk was petting her ears. “Oh!” He jumped to attention. “I’m… uh…” He frowned. “Sixteen? I think?”

“Yeah, I’m a solid seven years too early.” Killian grimaced over Allura’s shoulder, where Lance, for the moment, had Keith in a headlock. “Geez this is gonna be harder than I thought. I should have arrived after they were married.”

Pidge stifled her laughter enough to spit out a question. “They get  _ married _ ?”

Killian rolled his head to stare at her. “Very human of them, I know. I personally think marriage is pointless but it made those dorks happy, so whatever.” Again he smacked Coran’s light away from his face. “Would you stop that?”

Coran didn’t answer. He was tapping away at the console. “It is as you said, princess!” He called out. “He is the result of a genetic meld between Keith and Lance! Where they got the technology for it with Altea gone, I don’t know, but-”

“Altea okay?” Killian tossed up his hands. “There’s a time portal, and Altea is pulled through before it gets hit. Geez, I don’t have the patience for this! Why couldn’t Vraj have come?”

Vraj. His face fell again.

“Okay! Universe to save!” He pushed Allura and Shiro from in front of him and slid back to the floor. As soon as his feet touched he was on a path for the main room of the castle. As he passed his squabbling dads he rolled his eyes and shoved them apart.

“Hey!” He kept a hand on each chest as they went to attack again. “Do you want the universe to end in twenty-seven years? No? Then shut up! You’re giving me a headache.”

“Young m-uh-Killian, I believe it would be the concussion which you sustained which is giving you said headache rather than-”

But the raven hair and worn green jacket had swept out of the medbay, and once more the inhabitants of Voltron’s Castle were left blinking at each other, wondering if somehow they were all just hallucinating.


	4. Aaaand the Castle's Outdated

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> In which Killian is annoyed, Hunk and Allura are trying, and Pidge is loving prodding at the already tense atmosphere between Lance and Keith

_ “You’re not going to get anywhere by hitting random buttons, dingus.” _

Killian blinked. He must have hit his head harder than he thought - he was totally hearing Vraj’s voice right now.

He shook himself trying to concentrate on the blinking panel in front of him. Geez, it was outdated. Of course, he couldn’t blame them. Until the revival of Altea they wouldn’t have anything to update it  _ with _ , but the knobs and levers looking up at him from the pale blue console were not ones he knew.

On top of it hadn't occurred to him that, him not existing yet and all, the ship wouldn’t recognize him as an authorized pilot.

“This just gets better and better doesn’t it.” He muttered, crawling under the console to see if perhaps the tangle of wires beneath were something he could figure out.

_ “You could go ask aunt Allura, you know.” _ Vraj’s voice drawled.

Killian could just about hear the annoyed tap of her foot. Maybe he should go lie down a little longer.

...Nah.

_ “Hell, if you’re determined to drive yourself aunt Pidge could probably get you into the system.” _

“Shut up.”

“I-I didn’t say anything!”

Killian jumped, forgetting how to breathe for the moment it took him to recognize his uncle Hunk’s voice. A bit higher than he knew, smoother and more timid, but definitely Hunk’s.

He slowly pulled himself out from under the console to see the wide-eyed yellow paladin. “I was talking to myself.” He said. “I don’t suppose you know how to set up a new pilot on this thing? All these buttons are gibberish to me.”

Hunk swallowed, but came closer to peer at the console. “I… I’m not sure. Allura and Coran are the only ones who ever pilot. I didn’t think humans could.”

“They can’t.” Killian climbed to his feet beside his young uncle. “When I was nine Altean scientists devised a way to alter minimal genes in the human body and give them enough Altean properties that the system would recognize us. All members of Voltron were given such alterations.”

“Cool.” Hunk was looking him up and down now, taking him in all anew - this time as a science project and not an off-brand Keith wearing Lance’s jacket. “So, you’re sorta part Altean then?”

Killian shrugged. “Sorta.” He frowned at the panel. The unfamiliar levers and knobs just sat there, almost taunting him with their existence. “You think aunt Pidge might know how to get into the piloting system and get me authorized?”

“I don’t know.” Hunk tilted his head. “...Aunt Pidge?”

Killian shrugged. “It’s kind of a long story. I guess you could say that-”

_ “This conversation is a waste of time. You can’t lay out every detail of the past twenty-seven years, Killian.” _

“Could say that…?” Hunk tilted his head further.

Killian shook himself again. “I’ll explain later. Right now I need to get us headed for Planet Langer Hälse.”

“Planet what now?” Hunk trailed after Killian as he wove he way back towards the medbay, in search of aunt Pidge.

Killian sighed. “Don’t… we don’t talk about the name.”

“Oh.” Hunk was quiet for a few steps. “Why not?”

“Because.” Killian was still a hall away from the medbay, and he could already hear the chaos inside.

“Alright we don’t want to assume-”

“He has to be lying! Why the hell would I ever marry  _ Keith _ ?”

“Lance you’d marry a pine tree if it flirted back with you, let’s be honest. At least Keith’s hot.”

“Don’t compare me to a pine tree Pidge!”

“Hey, you won over the pine tree, didn’t you?”

“Guys, please, we need to-”

“What the hell Pidge? Why would I marry a pine tree?”

“Guys-”

“Hey!” Killian shouted. “Shut up!”

Everyone froze. He’d never had people actually listen when he shouted. Let alone listen with complete silence. It was kind of nice.

“That’s why I followed you.” Hunk muttered from behind him. “They were all just yelling.”

“Disappointed but not surprised.” Killian rolled his eyes. “In them, not you Hunk.” He added. “You, well, you I get.”

Okay, he had to sort this out before he was going to get anything done.

He looked to Keith and Lance, who were paused in the middle of their shouting match with Pidge to blink back at him.

“Dads,” he groaned, resisting the overwhelming urge to facepalm. He wondered if this was how they felt when he and Vraj got into a fight. Dear gods, they looked so ridiculously childish. “Ya know what, I’ll get to you in a minute.”

He turned to look at Allura, who was leaning against the medbay table wearing an expression he guessed was very similar to his own at the present.

“Do you know how to authorize a new pilot to the castle? The system is outdated and I have no clue how to use it.”

“I… possibly. I’ve never done it, but I watched when my father authorized me.” She frowned. “You wouldn’t be able to pilot anyway though. You aren’t Altean.”

“Killian says that some scientists altered his genes so that the system will read them as Altean.” Hunk piped up.

Killian glanced to him. “I mean, you’re not wrong, but I didn’t say that.”

“I uh… guessed?”

Killian shrugged. Hunk usually left Pidge to the mechanics in his time, but he knew in older times they had worked together. He supposed it wasn’t really a surprise.

“Voltron!” Crilis whined from the top of a medicine cupboard. When had she gotten up there?

“Hate to break it to you girl, but I don’t think you can authorize a new pilot.” Krillian held up his hand, offering her to come down.

She huffed, annoyed, but hopped from her perch, gliding to land on his palm.

Killian settled her on his shoulder and looked to Pidge. “Aun-uh, Pidge.” He cleared his throat. “Could you try and help the princess with that? You’ll probably have to access the mainframe of the castle.”

“Uh… sure.” Pidge beamed. “I didn’t know humans could drive the castle!”

“They can’t- I just- okay yeah just… okay.”

Shiro and Coran were acting like decent people, and Hunk was cautiously petting Crilis with a soft smile; there was no more stalling. He had to deal with his idiot dads.

Oh, joy.

_ “You look like them, Killian. They’ll believe you if they can see what you’re saying.” _

“Okay,” Killian drew in a deep breath. “New setting for starters. This room smells like antiseptic.” He passed a purring Crilis to Hunk and crossed to his dads, snatching their wrists and tugging them out the door.

“Uncle Shiro, if you would be so kind as to help me in preventing these dumbasses from murdering each other, I should be eternally grateful.”

“Hey!” Lance was kicking his shins, to no effect. “Let go! I’m not goin’ anywhere!”

Keith was pulling as well, growling in frustration that hitting Killian seemed to injure himself more than it did the time traveller. “What the hell? How is he this strong?”

“I was made by Altean tech.” Killian reminded flatly. “They would hardly embarrass themselves by creating a physically inefficient being when they had all the genetic codes at their fingertips. You coming Shiro? Other than yelling at them I honestly have no clue how to deal with them.”

Shiro chewed his lip. “I don’t have any better ideas, but I guess I’ll come.”

_ Because I don’t trust you _ . - It wasn’t unexpected. Killian supposed it was better than nothing.

Both his dads looked up to Shiro like an older brother, father even. If it was Shiro telling them to get their act together, they might actually try and listen.

Killian would simply keep them from murdering each other in the meantime. Oh gods  _ why _ couldn’t he have landed after they were already married?


	5. Downhill

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> It should have been a simple enough conversation. Now they may as well all be going insane.

“Just… sit down? Please?”

Keith watched through narrowed eyes as Lance plopped cross legged on the floor with an angry huff.

The young man - Killian - was looking at him now, rather expectantly, but he didn’t feel like moving from his shadowed corner, and so didn’t.

“Keith,” Shiro sighed from the doorway, a position he had taken up to keep them from escaping.

Keith inhaled a growl, but unfolded his arms and stalked to sit a solid two meters away from Lance while still in an acceptable distance from Killian.

Killian, in turn, now seemed lost, as though he hadn't expected to get this far and so hadn't planned for it.

What the hell kind of trickery was this?

Killian was pale with dark lashes framing bright violet eyes. Raven hair an uneven mess, perhaps once cut in a mullet like his own hair, but long since grown out. It appeared as though it had been braided at some point, but the attempt hadn't survived very well.

He was muscled but slender, closer in size to Keith but his height was certainly Lance’s, as were the point of his chin and his long fingers. And, of course, the jacket.

Worn, patched in a few places that Lance’s wasn’t now, but that was definitely the same jacket.

“Okay,” Killian exhaled heavily, looking between the two of them as though he half expected them to start fighting again. “I don’t know how the hell you two transitioned from this hot mess to lovebirds, but you’d better figure out something that has you getting along because if I have to deal with you fighting every five seconds I’m gonna hurt somebody. Warning, Lance, that somebody is probably you if for no other reason than you yell louder than Keith.”

Keith opened his mouth to protest, and saw Lance doing the same, but Killian kept talking before they could draw in a breath.

“Now I’m not sayin’ you need to kiss and make up or whatever-” (both red and blue paladins made involuntary choking sounds) “-but you have to stop screeching death threats and instead help the team, okay?”

Keith only stared. He didn’t trust himself to speak.

Lance, unfortunately, trusted himself all too well.

“Help the team? What’s that supposed to mean? You can’t just show up and assume that-”

“Lance!” Shiro snapped from the doorway, somehow sounding tired and threatening at the same time. “I may not even know what’s happening now, but for the record your kid makes a good point. We’re a team. Sometimes you two forget that.”

A moment of silence passed, and suddenly Killian paled.

Keith wearily looked his ‘son’ up and down. “Uh… you okay?”

Killian swallowed, choking a little, as if he’d forgotten how to breathe, and put his head in his hands.

Shiro stood from the threshold, frowning. “I knew we should have put him in a healing pod.”

But as the black paladin started towards him, Killian held up a hand.

“I’m good.” He insisted, swallowing again and raising his head. “I just… forgot something. For a moment…”

Keith vaguely noted Lance was now standing behind Shiro, long fingers fidgeting with his armor, bright green eyes sweeping over Killian worriedly.

Wait - green?

“Forgot what?” Lance snorted, his voice coming from… to Keith’s left?

No, that wasn’t right. Lance was standing…

No, no he wasn’t. Shiro was alone beside Killain. A sharp turn of his head confirmed Lance was sitting to his left, not seeming to have moved at all.

“Keith?” Shiro asked, now frowning in the red paladin’s direction. “What’s wrong?”

“I… for a moment I thought I…”

Killian somehow paled further. He tilted his head at Keith, expression just short of distress. “What did you see?”

It wasn’t a question - it was a demand.

Keith was on guard now. “What did you do?”

“What did you see?”

“Oh no,” Keith climbed to his feet, glaring at Killian. “What was that? Were you in my head? What did you do?”

“Hold up!” Lance was on his feet now as well. “What’d he do?”

“What did you  _ see _ ?”

“Hey!” Shiro shouted, effectively shutting everyone else up. “Keith, what happened?”

“Lance was there!” Keith pointed to the empty place beside Shiro. “But, he wasn’t! And- and it wasn’t  _ Lance _ !”

“I haven’t moved!” Lance testified, eyes wide.

Killian was staring intently at Keith now. “What do you mean it wasn’t Lance? What was different?”

“Nuh-uh!” Keith took a step back. “I don’t know what game you’re playing, but I’m not helping you!”

What  _ was  _ different?

Sure, Lance’s eyes had been green, but Keith’s mind was telling him there was more to it than that. The height, the shoulders, the hair… how had he even mistaken that… person… for Lance?

No, no no no, that wasn’t Lance. That was... 

He couldn’t remember what they looked like anymore. The image was gone. Only vibrant green eyes. Long fingers twitching with the straps of blue and white armor.

No that wasn’t Lance… was it? He couldn’t tell. He was starting to feel dizzy.

“Voltron!”

Lance shrieked, leaping away. Killian and Keith cursed and jumped a little. Shiro only stiffened.

“Voltron Voltron!”

“Damnit Crilis!” Krillian wheeled on the shimmering creature. “You couldn’t have made your presence known a little more politely?”

“Vol...tron?” The creature blinked up at her fellow time-traveler with large eyes.

“What do you want?”

“Voltron!” Crilis chirped happily and unfolded her gliding wings and shook a little, letting a familiar white and black handle fall free from the tangle of her coat.

It was Shiro’s bayard.

No, no it wasn’t. Upon closer inspection, Keith could make out the same uneven letter “A” that was inscribed on the black lion Killian had crashed with.

Keith scowled at the bayard, than at the creature, immediately noticing a problem with the physics of this: the bayard was two thirds Crilis’ size. How the hell had the weapon fit under that tiny wing?

Killain, who Keith would have expected to go retrieve the bayard - it was presumably his, after all - only stared at the black and white weapon.

His violet eyes were quickly growing misty, teeth digging into his lower lip as it trembled, ever so slightly.

“...Voltron?” Crilis chirped hopefully.

Lance was bending to pick up the bayard.

No - not Lance. Who was that?

Uneven russet hair, bright green eyes, strong jaw and high cheekbones. Tall for a woman, short for a man, but which of the two they were evaded Keith entirely.

“Hold up-” Lance was pointing to the not-Lance, looking between Keith and Shiro desperately. “Who the hell is that?”

Shiro opened and closed his mouth, but no sound came out.

And just as smoothly as they had come, they were gone.

Silence.

“Voltron?” Crilis’ voice trilled from where she had at some point curled around Keith’s legs.

Killian was definitely crying, there was no mistaking now. The mist was now a puddle in his eyes, trickling down his left cheek and threatening to do the same on the right.

Killian opened his mouth, but all that came out was a choked sound.

“Tha...that.” Keith stuttered. “That’s who I saw.”

Killian choked again, swaying slightly where he stood. “...Vraj.” He rasped.

And promptly collapsed.

Shiro caught him before he hit the floor.


	6. We’ve Done This Once Before (But This is the First Time)

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Crilis hasn't always been with Voltron...

25 years in the future...

_ Fourteen-year-old Killian Kogane-McClain peered over his uncle’s shoulder into the rescued crate. “What is it, Uncle Hunk?” _

_ The yellow paladin tapped the edge of the small cage lightly, clicking his tongue at the creature inside. “Hey little one. We’re not gonna hurt you. You’re safe now.” _

_ “Uh… Uncle Hunk?” _

_ “Shh Killian. It’s scared.” _

_ He dug in his jacket pockets a moment, coming up with a small bag of crumbled blue cookies. _

_ Knowing his uncle, it had probably been in there two weeks at least, but Killian only sat silently as Hunk fished out a chunk and set it in the cage, nudging it towards the creature with a gentle finger.  _

_ “Hungry?” He asked kindly, offering a smile.  _

_ The critter uncurled slightly, a single large eye peeking out from the mass of mottled colour. _

_ A small squeak - questioning almost.  _

_ “Yeah,” Hunk hummed. “We’re good people. Not the bad guys. The bad guys are gone now - you can come out if you like.” _

_ The edge of the second eye came into view, caramel glint weary but hopeful. _

_ Another squeak, definitely a question this time.  _

_ “No more cage,” Hunk said, as if responding to words and not untranslatable sounds. “You’re free. We’re paladins of Voltron; here to help.” _

_ The creature raised its head, ears standing up from its neck, giving the mottled mass more shape. _

_ “Vol...tron?” _

_ Hunk blinked. “Yeah!” He smiled broadly. “Voltron! Have you heard of us?” _

_ The critter cautiously untangled from itself, slender paws advancing close together beneath the center of its belly, like an in-line roller skate.  _

_ It toed towards the front of the cage, stretching out its neck and in turn looping a shimmering magenta tongue around the chunk of cookie. _

_ It chewed a moment, small jaws bobbing its entire head as it did so, and then swallowed.  _

_ It looked up to Hunk, sitting back and blinking up at him with large eyes. It licked its lips slightly.  _

_ “Voltron?” _

_ Hunk grinned. “Yeah, Voltron.” _

_ Killian tilted his head. “Do you say anything else?” He asked the creature.  _

_ The caramel eyes blinked between the two, questioning, weary, but no longer fearful. “...Voltron?” _

_ “I think she is saying other things.” Hunk said. “It just sounds the same to us.” _

_ “So… it’s a pokemon?” A new voice appeared.  _

_ Killian and Hunk jumped.  _

_ “Dad!” Killian grinned. “I thought you weren’t coming back until next week!” _

_ “Lance!” Hunk chastised, pointing to where the creature was now curled up again, peeking out towards the newcomer uncertainly. “You’ve scared her!” _

_ “It’s a girl?” Lance came up to the cage, bending to look over Killian’s shoulder. “How can you tell?” _

_ “I just…” Hunk frowned. “I just know.” His dug another chunk of blue cookie from the baggie and pushed it towards the weary critter. “Come on little one. Lance may be loud but I promise he won’t hurt you.” _

_ Lance snorted as Hunk coaxed the little creature to eat the cookie. “Next you’ll be naming it, I guess?” _

_ “No!” Hunk cast Lance a scowl. “That would be rude! What if she already has a name?” _

_ “Voltron.” The critter trilled through a mouthful of cookie. _

_ Killian squinted as she chewed. “What’s that on her neck?” _

_ Hunk bent to see. “Looks like… gills? Maybe?” _

_ “Voltron.” The creature said, as though confirming the hypothesis. She swallowed the cookie, eyes shining brightly now.  _

_ Hunk nudged another bite to her, blinking kindly down as she quickly lapped up the treat and began to munch. _

_ “Do you have a name, little one?” He asked. _

_ The creature swallowed, and seemed to consider the question. She opened her small mouth, curling that long magenta tongue, and a sound came out. _

_ A trill and a bark simultaneously. The vague impression of a word, but it wasn’t quite recreatable. _

_ “Uh… I don’t suppose you could repeat that?” Hunk queried. _

_ The critter licked her lips, as though she hadn't heard, but after a moment she made the sound again. _

_ A trill, then a whine, then a hiss. Somehow still a bark. _

_ Hunk tried to recreate the sound, but it only came out sounding like someone had taken the word chrysalis and stomped on it to squeeze out syllables. _

_ The creature shrugged, apparently deciding that he wouldn’t get any closer. She sniffed for more cookie crumbs. _

_ Hunk shook the baggie so she could reach the treats. “...Crilis then.” He relented. “I guess that’s what we’ll call you?” _

_ “Voltron.” Crilis trilled, licking up the remaining crumbs. _

_ “It’s got a name now,” Lance chuckled over Killian’s ear. “Yeah, we’re totally keeping it now.” _

_ Hunk didn’t hear. _

_ Killian grinned. He liked Crilis; her staying would hardly be a bad thing. _

**Author's Note:**

> Also plz tell me what you guys think so I know how much energy to put into writing it (seriously tho I'm working 'bout as well as a bootleg iphone on 15% battery life rn)


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